Michitaro Komatsubara
Encyclopedia
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army
, during the Nomonhan Incident.
in Kanagawa Prefecture
, where his father was a naval engineer, Komatsubara graduated from the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1905. He served as a military attaché
to Russia
from 1909–1910, and became fluent in the Russian language
. After his return to Japan, he was assigned to a number of staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff and Supreme War Council (Japan)
. In 1914, he was part of the World War I
Japanese Expeditionary Force at the Battle of Tsingtao
.
On Komatsubara's return to Japan in 1915, he graduated from the 27th class of the Army Staff College
and was assigned as commander of the IJA 34th Infantry Regiment.
From 1919, Komatsubara was assigned to the Soviet Branch of the 4th Section (European & American Military Intelligence
), 2nd Bureau, of the Army General Staff. After spending 1926-1927 as an instructor at the War College, he returned to Moscow
again as a military attache from 1927-1929.
After Komatsubara returned again to Japan, he became commander of the IJA 57th Infantry Regiment from 1930-1932. Two years later, he became Chief of the Harbin Special Agency in Manchukuo
. He was promoted to major general
in 1934 and returned to Japan to take command of the IJA 8th Infantry Brigade. Subsequently, from 1936–1937, he was commander of the 1st Imperial Guards Brigade
.
Promoted to lieutenant general
in 1936, he was reassigned to Manchukuo as commander of the IJA 23rd Division, and served on the staff of the Kwangtung Army. He retired from the army on 31 January 1940, after more than 35 years of military service. While in retirement he joined the National Policy Research Association attending meetings, and sharing his knowledge and experience of both the Russia
ns and the Battle of Khalkhin Gol
(Nomonhan
). Although General Komatsubara had an air of gentleness about him, he carried a sense of gloom. He was admitted to the Tokyo University hospital, were he was diagnosed to have stomach cancer
. Transferred to the army medical school, the 54 year old general died on 6 October 1940, less than eight months after retiring from the army.
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
, during the Nomonhan Incident.
Biography
A native of YokohamaYokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, where his father was a naval engineer, Komatsubara graduated from the 18th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1905. He served as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
from 1909–1910, and became fluent in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. After his return to Japan, he was assigned to a number of staff positions within the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff and Supreme War Council (Japan)
Supreme War Council (Japan)
The Supreme War Council was established during the development of representative government in Meiji period Japan to further strengthen the authority of the state. Its first leader was Yamagata Aritomo , a Chōshū native who has been credited with the founding of the modern Japanese army and was to...
. In 1914, he was part of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Japanese Expeditionary Force at the Battle of Tsingtao
Battle of Tsingtao
The Siege of Tsingtao was the attack on the German-controlled port of Tsingtao in China during World War I by Imperial Japan and the United Kingdom....
.
On Komatsubara's return to Japan in 1915, he graduated from the 27th class of the Army Staff College
Army War College (Japan)
The ; Short form: of the Empire of Japan was founded in 1882 in Minato, Tokyo to modernize and Westernize the Imperial Japanese Army. Much of the empire's elite including prime ministers during the period of Japanese militarism were graduates of the college....
and was assigned as commander of the IJA 34th Infantry Regiment.
From 1919, Komatsubara was assigned to the Soviet Branch of the 4th Section (European & American Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
), 2nd Bureau, of the Army General Staff. After spending 1926-1927 as an instructor at the War College, he returned to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
again as a military attache from 1927-1929.
After Komatsubara returned again to Japan, he became commander of the IJA 57th Infantry Regiment from 1930-1932. Two years later, he became Chief of the Harbin Special Agency in Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
. He was promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
in 1934 and returned to Japan to take command of the IJA 8th Infantry Brigade. Subsequently, from 1936–1937, he was commander of the 1st Imperial Guards Brigade
Imperial Guard of Japan
The Japanese is an organization which is dedicated to protection of the Emperor of Japan and his family, palaces and other imperial properties. Following the end of World War II the traditional Guard, which also served as a unit in the Imperial Japanese Army, was dissolved and in 1947 a civil...
.
Promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
in 1936, he was reassigned to Manchukuo as commander of the IJA 23rd Division, and served on the staff of the Kwangtung Army. He retired from the army on 31 January 1940, after more than 35 years of military service. While in retirement he joined the National Policy Research Association attending meetings, and sharing his knowledge and experience of both the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ns and the Battle of Khalkhin Gol
Battle of Khalkhin Gol
The Battles of Khalkhyn Gol was the decisive engagement of the undeclared Soviet–Japanese Border Wars fought among the Soviet Union, Mongolia and the Empire of Japan in 1939. The conflict was named after the river Khalkhyn Gol, which passes through the battlefield...
(Nomonhan
Nomonhan
Nomonhan is a small village near the border between Mongolia and Inner Mongolia, China south of the Chinese city of Manzhouli.In the summer of 1939 it was the location of the Nomonhan Incident, as it is termed in Japan, or the Battle of Khalkhin Gol as it is known in Soviet and Mongolian People's...
). Although General Komatsubara had an air of gentleness about him, he carried a sense of gloom. He was admitted to the Tokyo University hospital, were he was diagnosed to have stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
. Transferred to the army medical school, the 54 year old general died on 6 October 1940, less than eight months after retiring from the army.